


Camembert Tartlets with Raspberry-Grape-Cardamom Compote

by circ_bamboo



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Food, Gen, Recipes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-28
Updated: 2014-08-28
Packaged: 2018-02-14 10:18:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 813
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2188038
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/circ_bamboo/pseuds/circ_bamboo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is the recipe mentioned in "<a href="http://archiveofourown.org/works/2188167/chapters/4791033">Friendship Set on Fire</a>." Pretty much what it says on the tin.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Camembert Tartlets with Raspberry-Grape-Cardamom Compote

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Friendship Set on Fire](https://archiveofourown.org/works/2188167) by [blackglass](https://archiveofourown.org/users/blackglass/pseuds/blackglass), [circ_bamboo](https://archiveofourown.org/users/circ_bamboo/pseuds/circ_bamboo), [reena_jenkins](https://archiveofourown.org/users/reena_jenkins/pseuds/reena_jenkins). 



# Not brie, and much more than a bite

### by Melissa Follett (mel@melissafollett.com)

### Posted July 6, 2014 8:39 A.M.

Ladies, gentlemen, and none of the above, I stand corrected.

Well, I sit corrected at the moment, but nonetheless,  _je suis corrigée_. The chef from Le Cirque Bamboo, the caterer at the recent Stark Foundation Gala, has told me that the 'raspberry brie bites' that I so very much enjoyed at the event are actually Camembert Tartlets with Raspberry-Grape-Cardamom Compote. I do confess, having thought about it later, I did detect the flavor of grape in the compote, but the seeds from the raspberries made more of an impression on me. Nevertheless, I begged and begged until she sent me the recipe and then, with her permission, have adapted this recipe from catering quantities down to something a home chef can produce, even in a New York-sized kitchen.

The original recipe made hundreds of these tiny wonders of joy, but the version I have makes a mere twelve, and while of course my humble efforts can come nowhere near the perfection produced by Chef Scona Justice, I do think they are more than adequate. Of course, I encourage all of you to try at home and send your photographs to me, to be published in a later post.

 **Raspberry-Grape-Cardamom Compote** (makes well more compote than needed):

6 oz (1-1/4 c) raspberries  
7 oz (1-1/2 c) Concord or Thomcord grapes  
3/4 c red wine (Malbec preferred)  
1/4 c water  
1/2 c granulated sugar  
Zest of 1 lemon  
Juice of 1/2 lemon (2 T)  
1 T green cardamom pods  
1/2 t orange extract  
1/4 t ground nutmeg  
Generous pinch salt

**Bourbon tartelet crust:**

1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (6 1/4 ounces)  
1/2 teaspoon table salt  
1 tablespoon sugar  
6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter (3/4 stick), cut into 1/4-inch slices  
1/4 cup chilled lard (or solid vegetable shortening), cut into 2 pieces  
2 tablespoons bourbon, cold  
2 tablespoons cold water

1 8.8-ounce (250g) round of Camembert cheese 

**Make the compote:**

1) Rinse raspberries. Rinse and slice grapes in half. Tie cardamom pods in cheesecloth, or put in a tea ball or the like.

2) In a medium saucepan, simmer the first 7 ingredients for 5-7 mins, until the fruit is falling apart. Strain the fruit into a bowl; return the liquid to the pot and simmer for another 15-20 minutes until reduced by about 3/4 and it starts to thicken/look syrupy. Leave the cardamom pods in with the fruit.

3) To the fruit, add orange extract, and ground nutmeg, and salt; stir.

4) Remove the red wine syrup from heat; let it cool to room temperature. Pour it over the fruit; chill the entire mixture. Leave cardamom pods in, still. Refrigerate for 3 hours; you may chill longer but remove the cardamom pods at that point.

**Make the crust:**

1) Process 3/4 cup of flour, the sugar, and the salt in a food processor until mixed. Add the butter and lard and pulse until it resembles cottage cheese. Scrape the sides of the food processor if necessary and add the remaining 1/2 cup of flour. Pulse to combine.

2) Dump the flour-fat mixture into a medium bowl and sprinkle the bourbon and water over the top. Mix gently with a spatula until it just barely turns into dough. Form into a 4-inch disk, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes or up to 2 days.

 

**Assemble the tartlets:**

1) Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

2) Roll out the dough on a well-floured surface to 1/8" thick. Cut into 3-1/2" squares (or circles; or appropriate size) to fit into mini-tart pan. (They should come most of the way up the sides.) If your pan is not non-stick, butter the mini-tart cups. Press the crusts into the mini-tart wells; prick with a fork and fill with foil and pie weights (or a second tartlet pan) and bake until golden, about 10 minutes. Remove foil and pie weights or second pan.

3) Cut the Camembert through the middle, so it forms two rounds, and then each round into six triangular pieces (wedges). Put each piece into the bottom of a tartlet, and bake until bubbly, 5 minutes.

4) Let rest about five minutes, and then use a knife to loosen the tart from its well. Dollop the cold compote on top. Serve immediately.

\--

I shall end with a few more delightful photographs of this delectable treat. Enjoy!

 

 

The tartlets, minus compote.

Closeup. See the lovely purple hue and the raspberry seeds? No wonder I was misled, dear readers.

The finished product. I recommend a fancier serving tray than this one, but alas, dear readers, this was all I had.

**Author's Note:**

> Whew. Now that that's over with, please know that that was written from the point of view of a character in the story and many of the views expressed are the views of the character and _not_ the author. 
> 
> 1) I did use lard in the crust, because I have lard and I eat lard. But if you don't, use shortening. It's fine. You can also use vodka instead of bourbon, and if you make those two substitutions, congrats! You've made Cook's Illustrated's vodka crust. The bourbon makes it a little bit more weirdly savory, of all things.
> 
> 2) Honestly, you can probably use brie, or whatever soft cheese with a rind that you want. I used Camembert because of the story and that's it. Brie is much easier to find. Pont L'Eveque might be fine.
> 
> 3) Concord grapes definitely Have a Flavr. You can use any kind of grape, but please know that the taste will be a little different.
> 
> 4) I used cheap-ass (Copa) Cabernet Sauvignon. I wanted malbec, I'll admit, but I couldn't find any for a price I was willing to pay (under $6), and the nearest Trader Joe's was too far away.
> 
> Much thanks to lalalala--lee/hlahlahlahlahly, for leaving a comment on the story while she was betaing it and saying she wished we could include the recipe. That's, well, where this came from. Thanks also to fake-jungle-oboe for proofing the recipe and making sure I didn't leave anything obvious out. Sorry about the pretentious macro food photographs.
> 
> And, finally, Le Cirque Bamboo and Scona Justice are just plays on my screen names. I am not a chef and I have a nice huge kitchen, thanks.


End file.
